Update: They are here!  See the updated map as of May 3rd, 2024.  Reader RA, of Chaska, reported seeing a hummingbird looking for a feeder, in his yard, on April 14. Spring is here and so is news on some of our favorite–and possibly less favorite–natural neighbors. According to UpNorthNews, hummingbirds are on their way north, expected to reach Minnesota and Wisconsin in another week (approx. April 20), depending on warm southerly winds. As of April 12, they were seen as far north as Des Moines and Chicago. Hummingbird and nectar feeders should be put out by May 1st because they may be visited by warblers as well as early-returning hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles.  Learn

Typically the Shorewood SeeClickFix response to tree-utility wire conflict has been to push it back to residents to figure out–or ignore the request completely. The street inspector has taken a more customer friendly approach, and SCA appreciates his good work! See the image below.

Minnesota is set to conduct tornado siren testing this Thursday at two crucial intervals – 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., Thursday, April 11. This initiative, part of the annual Severe Weather Awareness Week, aims to enhance public awareness and responsiveness in the face of severe weather events, particularly tornadoes, which can strike swiftly and with devastating consequences. Tornados pose a significant threat due to their unpredictable nature and rapid onset. The scheduled testing serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it provides an opportunity for authorities to assess the functionality and coverage of tornado sirens across different areas. Second, it reminds families and businesses to review what to do in case of an actual tornado warning. It’s essential

On March 25, the Council approved the hiring of Park & Recreation Manager Mitchell Czech on the council consent agenda. He will start at approximately $95k, the same level as the outgoing director, Janelle Crossfield. Drilling down: The resumes of the candidate finalists were not made public. When asked if the Park Commission would be involved in developing the job description or participating in the interview process, Administrator Nevinski responded that it would not. As the Council grappled with a title and revised job description, CM Sanschagrin suggested asking for resident input on uses for the parks and expectations for the position. Other Council members did not support him. At the January 9 Park Commission

“Zoombombing” is the unwanted, disruptive intrusion, generally by Internet trolls, into a video-conference call. In a typical Zoombombing incident, a teleconferencing session is hijacked by the insertion of material that is lewd, obscene, or racist in nature. Source: Wikipedia At the Feb. 26, 2024 Shorewood Council meeting (content has been removed starting at 11:40) Shorewood, like many other local government institutions, has fallen victim to “Zoom-bombing,” The Zoom-bomb incident occurred during Matters from the Floor. Persons could clearly be heard spewing anti-Semitic messages. The incident lasted about 45 seconds. The staff was able to shut down the perpetrators. The mayor apologized letting the audience know these were not Shorewood residents and that Shorewood has now

UPDATE:  MinnPost, has done an in-depth series of how this proposed legislation came to be, and why it never came to a vote.  Pushback from citizens and local government was too much for the bills to survive the session. There were a series of bills with strong bipartisan support that would have drastically changed the way local government regulates multi-family housing.  On March 25 the bill was modified, with several provisions removed, and others altered, through the efforts of the League of Minnesota Cities.  Read about it here. Read SCA’s original article below: A proposed new law will change the way Minnesota cities regulate multi-family housing. The bi-partisan proposal, a unique political dynamic between both major

Resident Kristin Kowalski appeared at a January City Council Meeting (matters from the floor) with a list of questions for the City regarding Eureka Road North construction planning and considerations. Below are the questions and responses from the staff, as submitted to the Council on Feb. 12, 2024. SCA has not verified the accuracy of the responses.

[ays_poll id=1] Candidate filing for office in Shorewood is July 30, 2024 until August 13, 2024 at 5 pm.  You will vote for three expiring terms: Labadie, Callies and Zerby.   City council members represent their constituents.  A council member must be honest, transparent and accountable to the public when making responsible decisions that are in alignment with codes, statutes and best practices. Know who you are voting for! Watch council meetings on Zoom.  See them in action. Budgeting: Understand and actively participate in the budgeting process, including allocating funds to various departments and projects, regular clear reporting to the public; Provide ongoing monitoring and study of the city’s financial health and expenditures. Oversight: Effective council representatives

Note: At the Feb. 12, 2024 Shorewood City Council meeting,  during matters from the floor, Eureka Road North neighbor Jeff Wyatt spoke in support of maintaining the current width of the street and doing only a mill and overlay.  As part of his comments he provided the following informational resources: ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-   A Wider Eureka Road Leads to Increases in Traffic plus Speed & Traffic Control Issues Here are six facts supporting this: 1. Wider Roads Increase Traffic Volume: According to 2023 Victoria Transport Policy Institute report, widening roads creates a phenomenon known as induced demand. This occurs when the expansion of road capacity attract more drivers, resulting in an overall increase in traffic volume.

Seven Ways to Effectively Remove Buckthorn Pictured below are some Shorewood properties that rank high in “urban forest management.” Why? Owners have removed the buckthorn and yet, preserved a  diverse native tree population.  The approach to buckthorn management can vary based on local conditions and the specific characteristics of the invaded ecosystem.  The root ball is compact. Sharp shovels and/or hatchets can be used.  A weed “wrench” is available for use (with a deposit) at Shorewood City Hall.  See this video for removal tips. Let us know your preferred method when tackling this invader, in the comments section below. 

One of the best ways to see if a council member earned your vote is to watch them in action.  Zoom has added another level of “observation.”  History shows this method was endangered in 2022.  All Shorewood Council meetings and work sessions are recorded by the Lake Minnetonka Cable Commission and posted to their website by approximately noon the next day. Watch recorded meetings here. Council meetings are presented live via Zoom. Links are available 30 minutes before each meeting on the City website by using this link: https://ci.shorewood.mn.us/current_meeting/

Note:  This article explains the influence residents can have when they become involved in a respectful discussion. In a rare move, the Shorewood City Council rescinded an earlier vote that allowed a contractor (Prairie Restorations) to use Garlon4 herbicide on buckthorn stumps in Freeman Park. In their rush to use grant funding from 2021, Council previously approved a poorly written contract and Mayor Labadie signed it without proper due diligence and specificity. At Monday’s City Council (Jan. 21, 2024) meeting, several residents brought forth various scientific studies showing the negative health impacts of Tryclopyr – the main ingredient in Garlon herbicide products. Not only does Garlon contain a DANGER warning on its labeling that defies